It wasn’t for lack of hits or base-runners, but the Trail All Stars couldn’t execute when it counted as the team lost its second consecutive one-run game at the BC Little League Major baseball championship in Victoria on Wednesday evening.
Trail lost a close 2-1 match to New Westminster to fall to 0 and 4 at the provincial tournament. The loss falls hard on the heels of a 9-8 setback to Highlands the day before and, yet, the All Stars still have a chance at a playoff berth.
The All Stars jumped out to a good start, when Connor Stainer led off with a single in the top of one, then stole second on a pass ball. Reid Gerrand stepped up with two out and belted a double to score Stainer and give Trail a 1-0 lead.
However, New West replied in the bottom half of the inning when Quinn Walters scored Brendan Tong with a two-out single. Nathan Dann did his part on the mound and at the plate as he doubled in the third inning but was left stranded.
New Westminster took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, when Walters doubled, stole third, and scored on a fielder’s choice.
Trail threatened again in the fifth and the sixth with two runners on and one out but could not get the crucial hit.
Dann went the distance for Trail giving up two earned runs on five hits over five innings, striking out five and walking two. Calvin Morrison went 2-for-2 for Trail, and Gerrand was 2-for-3 with a double and the loan RBI.
Trail out-hit New West 9 to 5, but stranded 10 runners on the bases. All Stars manager, D.J. Ashman, said all-around it was a good effort and an exciting match up.
“Nathan (Dann) pitched the whole game and did great,” said Ashman. “We left a lot of runners on yesterday, but it was a great ball game to watch.”
Trail got some help from Beacon Hill in the late game on Wednesday, as the host team defeated Little Mountain 9-6. The win puts Beacon Hill at 2-2 and Little Mountain at 2-3. If both teams lose their remaining games and Trail wins its two remaining matches then it will come down to a tie-breaker, which will be runs-against divided by defensive-innings played.
Little Mountain’s final game is against New Westminster (3-1) today, while Trail played Beacon Hill Thursday night, but results were unavailable at press time. Trail winds up the round-robin against Layritz (0-4) today at 3 p.m.